Liquid dispensing cup



Feb. 10, 1953 c. J. DEXTER 2,627,735

' LIQUID DISPENSING CUP Filed May 12, 1949 1-" IE, 1 2 -P 1. L

IN V EN TOR.

Patented Feb. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFl-CE LIQUID DISPENSING CUP Carl J. Dexter, Battle Ground, Ind.

Application May 12, 1949, Serial No. 92,829

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a drinking cup.

The chief object of this invention is to provide a drinking cup which is intended to displace the use of the so-called drinking tube utilized by bed-fast patients.

The present invention also is particularly adapted for children's use. It is also particularly adapted for use by persons who are extremely nervous or who are afflicted with palsy.

The drinking cup of the present invention is not only adapted for the drinking of clear liquid but may be utilized for the drinking of thicker liquid, such as soup, etc., wherein some solids are embodied and this for bed-fast patients use is extremely advantageous because the so-called drinking tube wil1 clog and not pass such solids. Such a drinking vessel, therefore, permits one hand use and by a patient without nurse attendance during the drinking operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cup for drinking purposes which is substantially splash or spill proof.

The chief feature of the present invention resides in the provision of an indentation in the side of the cupimmediately contiguous to and below the discharge spout, the side spout being formed by extending upwardly the adjacent side portions of the cup and then bridging these elevated side portions with a partial cover, the spout being formed as stated between the two portions specified.

Another feature of the invention resides in providing an inwardly directed flange about the portion of the periphery that is not occupied by the aforesaid cover, which flange prevents spilling of the cup content in the processing of drinking or in the act of lifting the cup from a support such as a table or tray and its replacement to its original position.

The cup indentation below the aforesaid spout permits the closer fitting of the cup to the mouth and chin and the cups disposition in a nearly horizontal position without the spilling of the content of the cup, which obviously enables the patient to drink from the cup with little or no raising of the head.

Another feature of the invention is that the spout conforms in shape to the lips.

Another feature of the invention resides in the aforesaid indentation, forming as it were, a dam to control the flow of liquid from the cup until it is properly fitted to the mouth and which then does not interfere with the discharge of the liquid from the cup to the patient in the further elevation of the cup from its initial tilted position.

A further feature of the invention resides in the construction of the cupso that all interior surfaces thereof are so disposed that the cup upon inversion will readily. drain and as a corollary thereof the interior ofthe cup can also be readily and thoroughly washed: and. if desired sterilized.

Other objects and features of the invention will be set forth more fullyhereinafter, as for example, the cup illustrated and described herein may have one or more handles applied thereto to facilitate utilization. 1

The handleless cup for children can be readily grasped by both hands, applied to the mouth in partially tilted position and .then further tilted upwardly for the dispensing. The cup is of such size normally that an adult having one hand can readily grip the same, transport it to the lips, further tilt the same for drinking and then return the cup to the support, following the drinking operation.

It will also be apparent from the foregoing that the present invention is particularly helpful to patients that have paralyzed lips or tongues who ordinarily cannot obtain liquid by using the conventional drinking tube whichrequires a suction action to elevate the liquid from the vessel to the mouth.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a central sectional view embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, [0 indicates a vessel bottom that herein is shown flat but it might have any desired cross-sectional form solong as it is self sustaining on a fiat surface. I 1 indicates a cylindrical like side wall which has a shorter longitudinal element at the rear as indicated at l2. This side wall as the same extends forwardly, is progressively elevated as indicated at l3. Thehigher portions in these side walls are connected by a bridging top portion [5. Herein the latter is extended rearwardlyand downwardly along the side walls to form the slightly upwardly inclined flange l6 which bridging cover and flange define the filling and draining opening 11 in the upwardly inclined top structure. The forward side wall l8, see more particularly Figs. 1 and 3, is slanted inwardly as indicated at I9 and near the top of such indentation is directed upwardly and outwardly as at 20. The upper outward adjacent edges defining the inwardly slanted portion of the forward side wall 3 are joined together as at 21, see Fig. 2, to form a spout structure 22, having the elliptical like discharge or dispensing opening 23, beaded at 23 which constitutes the mouth.

By way of example only, if the vessel shown be filled about two-thirds full, it is necessary to tilt the vessel approximately 40 before vessel contents will discharge from the. mouth. If the vessel be filled about one-half full it is necessary to tilt the same about 60 before vessel contents discharge from the mouth. The reason for this discharge deferment is because the reentrant portions i9 and 20 provide a control dam and the level of the water mustpassover the greatest indented portion before the liquid can discharge from the mouth.

The present invention also, it will be noted, see Figs. 1 and 2, particularly, is so arrangd that the spout and mouth do not project beyond the outlines of the bottom ID or the body portion of side wall of the vessel H 18. Thus, even if the vessel be made of readilyfractural material such as china or glass, there are no projecting portions that can be accidently broken off. The vessel as illustrated, of course, can be made of these materials and can be made of metal or any other suitable material.

The indentation i9 and 20 is given by way of example only for it is quite apparent that for a childrens cup the linear dimensions or length of the indentation might beshortened since the distance between the lower lip and the bottom of the chin is less than that of an adult. The degree of indentation, as stated, determines the extent of the damming action.

It will be apparent that for drinkingpurposes the upper lip engages the top l5 immediately adjacent the mouth 23' and the lower lip engages the indented portion 29 immediately adjacent said mouth, while the chin end is accommodated by the indented portion i9 near the lower end thereof.

It will also be apparent that the vessel can be drained by inverting the same and when so inverted there is no pocket formation that can trap any liquid theretofore in the cup.

It will also be apparent that for cleansing and sterilizing, the cup may have the opening ll disposed about the discharge end of a faucet and the faucet discharging. hot or cold water or a mixture will substantially pressure flush the throat 22 and cleanse said throat when the cup is nearly inverted.

The beading 23 for invalid use provides a tooth-stop so that thepatient can clamp the neck immediately adjacent the mouth by the teeth to facilitate holding of the vessel without slippage thereof from the lips. Also when the vessel is made of metal such beading will prevent lip cuttingbysharp edges. Also when made of glass such beading permits the forming of an initial tube extension for severance and grinding to form a smooth finished bead at the mouth.

While considerable emphasis has been placed upon this beading it is to be understood that the inclusion thereof is optional as desired or required;

While considerable emphasis has been placed on'the elliptical like-discharge opening when desired or when required for production purposes, this opening can be circular or nearly circular in outline, all without departing from the major features of this invention.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be con sidered as illustrative and not restrictive'in character.

The several modifications described herein as well as others which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all are considered to be within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

l. A handleless drinking vessel comprising a hollow cylindrical body portion having a closed bottom, the body portion providing sides and having at its upper. edge, inclining upwardly from opposite sides, a partial top closure portion bridging the upper edges near the uppermost portions of said sides, the body wall immediately contiguous to the edge portion of the closure portion forming therewith a dispensing mouth, said immediately contiguous body Wall below said mouth being substantially fiat transversely and having a reentrant concave surface roughly cylindrical about a transverse axis and extending from beneath said mouth to a point spaced fromthe bottom for lower lip accommodation and comprising a discharge controlling, dam, said reentrant body portion adjacent the mouth including an inwardly and downwardly directed curved wall portion and adjacent the bottom including an inwardly and upwardly directed curved wall portion, said two curved portions merging one with the other.

2, A drinking vessel as defined by claim 1 wherein the upper curved wall. portion has a curvature radius smaller than the curvature radius of the lower curved wall portion.

3. A drinking vessel as. defined by claim 2 wherein said mouth has an. elliptical like outline disposedcross-wise oft'he vessel and within the projected outline thereof.

CARL J. DEXTER REFERENCES CITED' The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 93,734 Morahan Aug. 17, 1869 124,076 North Feb. 27, 1872 214,617 Brown Apr. 22, 1379 293,190 Moore Feb. 5, 1884 608,864 Jaquet Aug. 9, 1898 727,212 Scott May 5, 1903 866,501 Tatum July 16, 1907 962,641 Kaufmann June 28, 1910 1,770,093 West July 8, 1930 2,121,118 Cooper June 21, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 533,631 France Dec. 1'7, 1921 611,020 France June 26, 1926 

